Heart's Conquest; A Viking Romance

by Andromeda -

  After the sack of Paris, the king was forced to sign a treaty with the Norsemen. He gave them almost five-thousand pounds of gold, silver, jewels, and other precious metals. He also gave them rich cloth, spices, plant seeds and more. But what Alrik really wanted, he gave to them willingly: a map of the other side of the world.

  Alrik had heard of lands past Paris, and the king gave him several maps with roads leading to great lands that neither of them had heard of before. Spain, Italy, Germania, Naples, a place called Asia and so much more. The maps showed the roads, waterways and so much more. With these maps, the Norsemen could become powerful through trade as they were the masters of the seas. Rashida kept her promise to the princess, and the ones who she let inside her chambers were not harmed during the sacking.

  They would have left sooner, however, they were forced to stay in Paris until after Rashida gave birth, but also for Björn to validate the emperor's claims. But everything was proven to be true, and when Rashida was proven strong enough after the birth, they left.

  Rashida smiled as her son stretched out in his cradle, his large blue eyes and dirty-blond hair reminded her so much of his grandfather, his namesake. "You are going to do great things, my son," she whispered to him. "I can see it. You will make a name for yourself, the same way your father has."

  Later that night in the feast hall, Rashida sat at Alrik’s side with their warriors and families around them. Drunken laughter of tales rang in the air, as well as the scent of roasted meats. Tonight, they would feast until they most likely all passed out in a drunken stupor. However, Alrik tried to not, as he planned on spending most of the night between Rashida’s thighs.

  Looking around, Rashida noticed something. Well, really, someone was missing. She turned to Kaya, who was holding young Henrik in her arms. "Where is Gala?" she asked.

  Kaya looked to her. "You do not know?" she asked.

  Rashida shook her head. "No, has something happened?"

  Kaya sighed. "Not long after you left, Gala tried to kill your children."

  Fury rose within Rashida at hearing such a thing. "She tried what?!"

  "But she didn't succeed, obviously," Kaya said quickly to try and soothe her friend’s temper.

  "What happened to her?" Rashida snapped.

  "She died," Kaya answered. "At…Isis’ hands."

  Rashida looked to her eldest daughter who had her nose deep in a book. Kaya quickly told her how when Gala tried to poison them, the young girl did the same thing Rashida was famous for: making her bleed from her eyes, ears, nose and mouth. It was a gruesome death, but nonetheless, one that Gala deserved as Kaya also told her that they had learned that Gala had poisoned Henrik to hurry him out of this world and into the next.

  As she watched her daughter, Rashida realized that she was strong with the same power that she had, and that she had a long way to get everything under control. But she had her mother to guide her.

  "Alrik," Rashida said softly. "I'm ready to retire now."

  Alrik looked to his wife and smiled as he took her hands and led her to their bedchamber. Their story was now complete; they ruled now unchallenged. A new dynasty was formed. A dynasty where magic and iron would rule as one on the earth, the way the gods wished it to be.

  Epilogue – Rashida POV

  To say that the gods always have a plan for us is the truth. I never thought, at any point in my life, that I would become who I am today. When I was just a normal Priestess of Bastet, I thought that was to be my future. That I would serve the goddess until the end of my days, but she had a plan for me.

  I used to think of my abilities as a curse because now that I think about it, if I had revealed what I fully was in Egypt, I most likely would have been killed. The Priests of Amun wouldn’t have allowed me to live, as I was a challenge to their rule, their power. The Priests of Amun were supposed to be the most powerful, the greatest in all of Egypt, but if they had heard of me, a young girl with the ability to move things with her mind, I would have been slaughtered on the spot. So, in a way, Gerik’s raid upon my village was a blessing in disguise.

  I never thought that in my wildest dreams I would become a queen. A slave was more of what I was used to, but I couldn’t deny my love for Alrik. The reason I was so resistant in the beginning was because I was afraid. I was afraid that if I surrendered to him, then I would also surrender my new freedom my abilities had given me. But I was wrong. Never in my life had I been more wrong.

  To love Alrik gave me a new look on life. To love Alrik gave me children. To love Alrik gave me new abilities that still flourished to this day.

  My daughter Isis is a credit to her namesake, as the goddess does shine her gifts upon her. Alrik, always protective of his daughters, forbid any boys from being around her, but even he couldn’t stop true love when it took the form of a simple farm boy who had captured his daughter’s heart. It took me a while to get him to calm down, but eventually, he allowed them to marry.

  All our children lived long, happy lives, however, they each went into different directions. Our sons went more into the world of exploration like their father, while our daughters stayed closer to home and ruled.

  When Hakan and Horus did not want to be crowned king, the crown passed to Isis and her blood. Thus, my daughter became the first queen to rule in her right. I was so proud of her, as she had my abilities to help guide her.

  As my time grows short in this world, I hope you enjoyed my tale. I hope that you have learned much in these pages as much as I learned living it. What this has taught me is that you cannot stop fate. That while you believe there is only one way to go, there is always another. Another path that had another possibility of how things might end, but you’ll never know how it will turn out if you do not try it.

  Farewell, dear reader, and may I see you at Odin’s table in Valhalla. Maybe you will tell me your own tale if we do…

  Coming Soon…

  She was a girl blessed by the Moon Goddess…

  He was a warrior with no heart…

  When young Aoibheann was only a little pup, her parents told her stories of how the Moon Goddess would choose to inhabit the body of one whom she deemed worthy. The girl never thought it was her…

  Kiernan was cursed, everyone knew it. After watching the slaughter of his pack and being raised by an abusive who taught him that love was a weakness, the young Alpha swore that he’d never love anyone…

  However, the Moon Goddess is always watching…always waiting…

  She was His Mystic…

  He was Her Warrior…

  Their mating was written in the stars a long time ago. Their mating was supposed to be sacred, but neither chose the other…

  Will they be able to do the Moon Goddess’s work?

  Will they be able to stop the mutual hatred that they share for the other?

  All will be revealed coming 2017…

  Author’s Note

  I’ve always had a love for history and used to always want to learn more. I used to want to write my own versions of famous historical accounts in the world. I never thought that people would like them the way they do, and as I see the reaction, I know that I won’t stop in sharing my work with the world.

  Thank you all so much and I’ll never forget all the support that is shared as you read these pages. I am on every social network known to man. All you must do is search for Andromeda Nova and I shall appear.

  Once again, thanks for everything and have a blessed day! Please read below for the quick Q & A for the book in order to clear up any questions you might have.

  Heart’s Conquest Q & A

  Question: Where do you find the inspiration for all your books?

   Answer: From simple things, really. I have ADHD and can hardly sit still, so I constantly have new ideas popping in my head for book ideas and the like.

  Question: How did you come up with the idea of this book?

   Answer: On the site called Wattpad where I got my start, I had this book called
The African Shieldmaiden. If you wanted to be technical, THAT book would be considered a really, really, really, REALLY, rough draft of this book.

  Question: Is this book a fan fiction of the TV show Vikings?

   Answer: NO! One hundred percent N to the O! As much as it MIGHT seem that this book is related/a fan fiction of that TV show, it is NOT. While I won’t deny that I am 100% in love with that show (Team Lagertha all the way), this book is 100% my own. I imagined ALL the characters, all their personalities and the plot is also my own, minus the historical context that is REAL.

  Question: How much of this book is true? How much of it is close to the actual people?

   Answer: It’s obvious that certain characters are based on real people. Henrik, for example, is based on a man called Ragnar Lothbrok, who really was a Viking and their ideal hero. Alrik is based on Ragnar’s son, Bjorn. Ingrid, Ragnar’s first wife, Lagertha, and Gala, off Ragnar’s second wife, Aslaug. For the character of Rashida, however, I made her up 100% on my own. She, to her credit, was based off Rameses’s the Great’s queen named Nefertari, who was known for her gift of languages and great charisma.

  Question: How do you come up with your character names?

   Answer: I choose the names of my characters very carefully. Whenever I make a book, I first write out a ‘character file’ with everyone who is included in the book. It has things such as their looks, likes, dislikes, friends and allies; that kind of thing. After that is done, I then pick the names and I make sure that they are all culturally appropriate and have meaning behind them.

  Question: Is there any part of you within your characters?

   Answer: I would say that I have some part of myself within my female characters. I am a highly complex person (no one is truly simple) and I make them that way. I don’t make my characters 100% me. I make them at least 25% me and it’s a different 25% depending on who it is. However, in this book, I would say that Rashida is about 50% me.

  Question: Why do your female characters seem so stubborn?

   Answer: I don’t believe my female characters are stubborn. I believe they are strong females who can do whatever they want. Most women, in the older eras, were always looked down upon, and as an author, we can change things a little.

  Question: Do you have any favorite characters?

   Answer: Yes and no. Haha, it depends on what you mean. I try to love all my characters equally most of the time. Historical Fiction, I would have to say, of course, Zenobia from my first Historical Fiction book called Captive Bride.

  Question: What other works do you have planned?

   Answer: I have many works planned, both to be published and written on Wattpad. Wattpad is where I got my start and I will always honor that site no matter what. However, as time progresses, I might look more to books that will be published. After my five books coming out next year (I can write a book a month) I will turn to my own personal projects within the Young/New Adult genre. Be on the lookout for an author named R.E Nova soon.

  Do you have what it takes to play AFTER HOURS? If you love to write Interracial, Paranormal, BBW Romance or Erotica novels, please

  submit your manuscript to After Hours Publications, along with your synopsis and first 4 chapters of your completed manuscript to afterhourspublications@outlook.com

  Still want more? After Hours got you covered!

  Click on the link to go to the After Hours web page to select your next Sizzling read.

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